Sheet-metal container



Nov.' 5, 1929. J, A. sHlvE SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed Nov. l5, 1927 @H3021 unan,

Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JACOB A. SHIVE, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO YORK ICE MACHINERY COR- PORATION, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE SHEET-METAL CONTANER Application filed November 15, 192'?. Serial No. 233,466.

This invention relates to a method of forming sheet metal containers and the resulting article.

The object of the invention is to produce a peculiarly t-ight and strong corner construction available for general use but having particular utility for the construction of ice cans because it produces a strong reinforced corner adapted to withstand the rough treatment 'such cans customarily receive in the pulling and dumping operations. The invention, however, is generally applicable to sheet metal containers of polygonal cross section and relates to the mode of mounting the end or bottom in such containers.

Broadly stated, the bottom is formed of a single piece of sheet metal by bending up a continuous marginal flange which projects approximately at right angles to the bottom, and which is formed with inwardly projecting lobes or folds at each corner or angle, such lobes or folds being made of the excess metal at these points. The polygonal body portion or side wall portion of the can or container is formed with an inturned flange which is parallel to and spaced slightly from the side wall and which is not continuous, but on the contrary is interrupted at each corner, the interruption oifering a space to receive the inwardly projecting lobe or fold at the corners of the flange on the bottom.

rllhe bottom portion is inserted in the side wall portion so that the marginal flange engages beneath the flange of the side walls, the inwardly projecting lobes or folds extending through the intervals between the adjacent flanges, as just stated. Then these are assembled rivets are inserted through lthe sides and the engaging flanges to bind these together7 and the corners are reinforced by upsetting or peening the fold or lobe into the corner, the point of the lobe or fold being rounded over into Contact with the lower margin of the flanged joint. Finally the joint is sweated by dipping the lower portion of the cans in molten solder which enters all the solder is retained in the joint until it cools, there being no tendency for it to drain out. lVith cans as heretofore constructed this draining out of the solder at the corners presented serious difticulties, and it was often necessary to solder the corner oints from the inside of the can, a slow and expensive operation. The extra fold of metal at the corner joint produced by upsetting the lobe of extra metal reinforces the can at the point which receives the greatest abuse in service. The resulting structure is thus stronger, tighter and somewhat less expensive to produce.

AThe invention will now be described as applied to ice cans, which cans are customarily of rectangular cross section and slightly tapered, but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other fields and that it is not essential that the can be tapered nor that the cross section be rectangular. Within reasonable limits the invention is applicable to any container or polygonal cross section.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ice can, the view being taken from a point below the bottom of the can to show the bottom joint with which the present invention is concerned.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a corner of a bottom blank in inverted position showing the blank at the completion of the first operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the blank at the completion of the second operation.

Fig. l is a fragmentary view showing t-he corner portion of two side walls and the corner portion of the blank (in the condition shown in Fig. 3) about to be slipped into engagement with each other.

Fig. 5 is a section through the corner of the side walls and bottom after these are moved into engagement with each other and before the lobe or fold is upset. The plane of section bisects the corner angle between adjacent side walls.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the corner joint after the lobe has been upset.

Fia i is section similar to F 5 after the upset and.. show cor-1 ner of the lobe is bent or peened into Contact with the bottom flange of the can.

lt should be understood that in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive, the parts are shown inverted relatively to Fig. 1.

1() represents the side walls of the cam forming a rectangular open ended body which may be formed in any known manner. The usual way is to bend it up from a flat plate and forni a longitudinal riveted seam extending down one of the wide faces of the can, as indicated at 11, in Fig. 1. This detail is immaterial. The body of 'the can is formed slightly tapered to permit ready withdrawal of the ice. This detail also is immaterial.

The larger or upper end of the can body is reinforced by a mouth band 1Q of bar stock, connected to the body of the `can by means of rivets 13. Each side wall 10 is provided at the other end from the band 12 with an integral inturned flange 1l which is parallel with the side walls 10 and spaced from i saine a distance approximately the thickness of the stock to be used for the can botj tom. llhe flanges 14; of adjacent sides are not continuous with each other but a notch or interval 15 is formed, in any preferred way, for a purpose hereinafter described. The width of this notch is at least equal to and preferably slightly exceeds twice the thickness of stock used for the can bottom.

The bottom 1G is formed of shee metal, the blank being of the same polygonal form as the bottom and of slightly greater dimensions to afford stock for the flange. Thus for a rectangular body the blank is rectangular. This blank is then formed with a peripheral continuous flange made by bending up the marginal portions of lthe blank, the fold lines contormin tothe dimensions of the bottom.

The excess metal at the corners is looped inward. The finished bottom blank can convenient-ly be formed in two successive operations, as indicated. in Figs. 2 and 3, and the excess metal is given a looped or conical form so that it produces an inwardly extending lobe at each corner marking the adjacent portions of' lateral flanges.

The bottom flange thus formed is inserted through the top` of the body blank, arriving at the position shown in Fig. l at which time it is about to engage the flanges 14. ln such engagement the flanges 17 enter beneath. the flanges lll and the narrow portion of the lobe 18 enters the interval 15. The flanges 1-1- and 17 are so dimensioned that the flange 17 bottoms on the fold at the root of the flange 14- and the flange ll'- seats against the bottom 1G.

lVith the parts thus engaged, rivets 2l are inserted, locking both flanges together and to the projecting portion of the side wall 10. The lobe 18 is thenv upset and peened, as shown in Fie 6. It will be observed that the lobe 18 terminates in a projecting tongue or ner of the original blank, and this point is folded or peened over into the contact with the Icorner of the can (see Figs. 6 and 7) thus forming a tightly tting reinforce which fills the corner of the joint flange at the bottom of the can. r1`he joint is then sweated by dipping the outside of the can into molten solder. This solder penetrates the oint and all interstices around and within the upset lobe 18. rhe effect is to produce a solid reinforcing corner and an absolutely tight joint without requiring the performance of any soldering operations within the can. The can so constructed has unusual mechanical strength. in its bottom flange, is liquid tight and is protected against the corrosive action of the brine in which such cans are customarily immersed during the freezing operation.

As suggested the invention is applicable to various other fields, and may be embodied in containers of specifically different form. Consequently no necessary limitation to the structure chosen for illustration is implied.

That claimed is 1. The method of mounting ends in polygonal can bodies, which consists in forming each side wall oit the polygonal body with an inwardly extending integral flange spaced from such wall and approximately parallel therewith, the flanges of adjacent side walls being spaced from each other at the angle between adjacent side walls; forming a corresponding polygonal end wall with an integral peripheral llange bent up at approximately right angles thereto and having inwardly extending lobes or folds formed of the surplus metal at each corner of the blank; mounting said end Wall in said can body with its peripheral flange lying in the interval between the inturned flanges on the said bodies and with said lobes projecting through the intervals between adjacent inturned flanges; and upsetting said lobes to lock said flanges and reinforce the corners.

2. A container of sheet material comprising in combination a polygonal side wall structure having integral inturned flanges at one end, said flanges being spaced from the corresponding side walls and approximately parallel therewith, and the flanges of adjacent side walls being cut away at the angle between said walls to afford a slot substantially the full depth of the flanges; and an` end wall of corresponding polygonal form having peripheral flanges integral with said end wall,y eX- tending at substantially right angles to said end wall, and provided with inwardly extending lobes or folds at the corners, the flanges of the end wall engaging beneath the flanges of the side wall, and. saidv lobe portions projecting through said slots and being upset against the inner side of the side wall flanges.

3. A container of sheet material comprising in combination a one-piece polygonal Side wall structure having integral inturned flanges at one end, said flanges being spaced from the corresponding side walls and approximately parallel therewith and the flanges of adjacent side walls being cut away at the angle between said walls to afford a slot substantially the full depth of the flanges; an end wall of corresponding polygonal form having peripheral flanges formed from the marginal portion of the end wall, extending at substantially right angles to said end wall and having inwardly extending lobes or folds formed of the excess material at the corners, the flanges of the end wall engaging beneath the flanges of the side wall, and said lobes projecting through said slots and being upset against the inner side of the side wall flanges; and rivets extending through said flanges and the adjacent side wall of the can and serving to lock the said parts together.

1l. A reinforced corner for sheet metal structures comprising a pair of adjacent walls forming a dihedral angle between them and having inturned flanges on each wall with a narrow interval between the flanges of adjacent walls, a third wall forming dihedral angles with the first two walls and having a peripheral integral flange bent up of the material of said third wall and engaginfr beneath the flanges on the first two walls, tie excess material formed by bending up the flanges at the corner of the third wall projecting through the interval between the two flanges and the first two walls and being upset against said flanges to lock and reinforce the corners.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JACOB A. SHIVE. 

